The Soviet authorities have introduced heavy taxation on synagogues and rabbis in Soviet-occupied Poland, Bessarabia and Bukovina, The Jewish Chronicle reported today.
Synagogues in towns with a population of 5,000 must pay an annual tax of 5,000 rubles towns with 10,000 inhabitants, 10,000 rubles; up to 20,000 population, 15,000 rubles; up to 50,000 population, 25,000 rubles. Synagogues in big cities are subjected to still heavies taxes.
Rabbis are taxed 1,000 to 5,000 rubles annually. The object of the new taxes apparently is to compel many synagogues to close down and rabbis to resign, the Chronicle said.
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